Kylian Mbappé may have made his biggest headline of the World Cup after France’s tournament ended.
The France soccer star appeared to briefly confirm months of dating speculation surrounding Spanish actress Ester Expósito when he shared — and quickly deleted — an Instagram Story during the FIFA World Cup final on July 19.
The post came after the pair were spotted together watching Spain defeat Argentina in the championship match, adding fresh momentum to rumors that have surrounded them since the spring.
Kylian Mbappé Deletes Instagram Story Featuring Ester Expósito
Shortly after the World Cup final began, Mbappé shared what appeared to be a photo of Expósito wearing his France jersey inside a hotel room.
The image remained on his Instagram Story only briefly before it was deleted.
Although neither Mbappé nor Expósito has publicly confirmed they are in a relationship, fans quickly circulated screenshots of the post across social media.
Earlier in the day, TikTok videos showed Mbappé and Expósito watching the World Cup final together aboard a boat. Footage also showed the pair sitting together during a meal while following Spain’s victory over Argentina.
The deleted Instagram Story came just hours after those videos began spreading online.
Mbappé and Expósito Have Sparked Dating Rumors for Months
Speculation surrounding the pair first began in March when Expósito attended a Real Madrid match featuring Mbappé.
According to Hola, the two were later spotted on a bowling date in Paris in April.
In May, photographers captured them together on several occasions, including during a yacht outing in Sardinia, Italy.
Neither has commented publicly on the reports, but their latest public appearances have continued to fuel interest in their relationship.
Expósito is best known for starring as Carla Rosón Caleruega during the first three seasons of Netflix’s “Elite.” She is also set to star in Amazon Prime Video’s adaptation of “Marfil,” based on the novel by Mercedes Ron.
Ester Expósito Celebrated Spain’s World Cup Victory
Expósito also shared her own reaction after Spain defeated Argentina to win the World Cup.
Shortly after the final, she posted an Instagram Story showing what appeared to be a FaceTime call with two friends celebrating in the street while she smiled from the bottom corner of the screen.
She kept the caption simple, posting only a heart emoji.
The celebration came days after Expósito admitted she had mixed emotions during Spain’s semifinal against Mbappé’s France.
Asked which country she hoped would win, she responded, “That’s a difficult choice for me.”
Spain ultimately defeated France 2-0 to advance before edging Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the final.
Kylian Mbappé Still Finished the Tournament With the Golden Boot
The French star officially secures first place in the Great Golden Boot Race with 10 goals 🇫🇷
Although France fell short of another World Cup final appearance, Mbappé still finished the tournament with an individual honor.
The Real Madrid forward entered the World Cup final with 10 goals, while Lionel Messi had scored eight for Argentina.
Because Messi did not score twice in the championship match, Mbappé secured the tournament’s Golden Boot as its leading scorer.
Kylian Mbappé Seemingly Confirms Ester Expósito Romance With Deleted World Cup Final Photo